Jayson's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 27 Apr 2025 09:41:39 -0700 60 Jayson's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg His Forefathers and Mick 211398166 336 Michael G. Kramer Jayson 0 to-read 4.38 His Forefathers and Mick
author: Michael G. Kramer
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.38
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/27
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]]> <![CDATA[James Ed Hoskins and the One-Room Schoolhouse: The Unprosecuted Crime Against Children]]> 191385541
If Governor Eversole is successful, his reforms will scrap the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), and they will rebuild K-12 education on a solid foundation of courses known to the "Greatest Generation" as the Three R's. His reforms also limit instructional practices in the classroom to the ancient principles of teaching and learning.

James Ed Hoskins initiates the first of many battles that the gubernatorial reforms will encounter in the legislative process. At a staff meeting, he questions his supervisor. Her summary of the information that her staff had collected from focus groups in school districts across Kentucky did not include the meritorious suggestions. She gives him a curt non-answer. He reminds her that Governor Eversole is a businessman, and he urges her to assist him in every way possible with the K-12 experience on her staff. "With our help," James Ed concludes, "we can at least give him a fighting chance to keep his promise.]]> 279 Shafter Bailey Jayson 5 4.38 James Ed Hoskins and the One-Room Schoolhouse: The Unprosecuted Crime Against Children
author: Shafter Bailey
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 5
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> The Guest List 51933429
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?]]> 330 Lucy Foley Jayson 5 3.64 2020 The Guest List
author: Lucy Foley
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2020
rating: 5
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> <![CDATA[G is for Gumshoe (Kinsey Millhone, #7)]]> 257990
It's this last matter that convinces Kinsey that even she can't handle whoever's been hired to whack her, and she gets herself a bodyguard: Robert Dietz, a Porsche-driving P.I. He takes guarding Kinsey's body very seriously. With Dietz watching her for the merest sign of her usual recklessness, Kinsey plunges into her case. And before it's over, she unearths the gruesome truth about a long-buried betrayal and, in the process, comes face-to-face with her own mortality. . .]]> 261 Sue Grafton 0449000621 Jayson 4 3.93 1990 G is for Gumshoe (Kinsey Millhone, #7)
author: Sue Grafton
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1990
rating: 4
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> <![CDATA[A Time to Kill (Jake Brigance, #1)]]> 32542 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780385338608

Before The Firm and The Pelican Brief made him a superstar, John Grisham wrote this riveting story of retribution and justice. In this searing courtroom drama, best-selling author John Grisham probes the savage depths of racial violence, as he delivers a compelling tale of uncertain justice in a small southern town, Clanton, Mississippi.

The life of a ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. That is, until her black father acquires an assault rifle and takes matters into his hands.

For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client's life, and then his own.]]> 738 John Grisham Jayson 3 4.11 1989 A Time to Kill (Jake Brigance, #1)
author: John Grisham
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1989
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1)]]> 40605329
]]> 497 Trenton Lee Stewart 0316032115 Jayson 5 4.29 2007 The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1)
author: Trenton Lee Stewart
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2007
rating: 5
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> <![CDATA[I Hunt Killers (I Hunt Killers, #1)]]> 7766027 What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?]]> 359 Barry Lyga 0316125849 Jayson 4 4.02 2012 I Hunt Killers (I Hunt Killers, #1)
author: Barry Lyga
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2012
rating: 4
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> Luckiest Girl Alive 22609317
As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve.

But Ani has a secret.

There’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything.

With a singular voice and twists you won’t see coming, Luckiest Girl Alive explores the unbearable pressure that so many women feel to “have it all” and introduces a heroine whose sharp edges and cutthroat ambition have been protecting a scandalous truth, and a heart that's bigger than it first appears.

The question remains: will breaking her silence destroy all that she has worked for—or, will it at long last, set Ani free?]]> 338 Jessica Knoll 1476789630 Jayson 1 3.50 2015 Luckiest Girl Alive
author: Jessica Knoll
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2015
rating: 1
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> Falling 56614951
There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don't know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot's family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.]]> 304 T.J. Newman 1982177888 Jayson 1 3.79 2021 Falling
author: T.J. Newman
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2021
rating: 1
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]]> <![CDATA[Haunted Ground (Nora Gavin, #1)]]> 905451
Who is she? The extraordinary find leads to even more disturbing puzzles. The red-haired girl is not the only enigma in this remote corner of Galway. Two years earlier, Mina Osborne, the wife of a local landowner, went for a walk with her young son and vanished without a trace. Could they, too, be hidden in the bog’s treacherous depths, only to be discovered centuries from now? Or did Hugh Osborne murder his family, as some villagers suspect? Bracklyn House, Osborne’s stately home, holds many secrets, and Nora and Cormac's inquiries threaten to expose them all.]]> 328 Erin Hart 0743235053 Jayson 5 3.71 2003 Haunted Ground (Nora Gavin, #1)
author: Erin Hart
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2003
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Black Notice (Kay Scarpetta, #10)]]> 123598 441 Patricia Cornwell 0425175405 Jayson 5 3.90 1999 Black Notice (Kay Scarpetta, #10)
author: Patricia Cornwell
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1999
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Body Farm (Kay Scarpetta, #5)]]> 6539
From Author’s Website]]> 351 Patricia Cornwell 0425201449 Jayson 5 4.08 1994 The Body Farm (Kay Scarpetta, #5)
author: Patricia Cornwell
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1994
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8)]]> 65118 272 Lemony Snicket 1405206128 Jayson 3 4.00 2001 The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2001
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Cause of Death (Kay Scarpetta, #7)]]> 6541 356 Patricia Cornwell 0425213382 Jayson 5 3.95 1996 Cause of Death (Kay Scarpetta, #7)
author: Patricia Cornwell
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1996
rating: 5
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (Enola Holmes, #2)]]> 606926
When she discovers a hidden cache of brilliant charcoal drawings, she feels as if she's a soul mate to the girl who drew them - but that girl, young Lady Cecily, has disappeared without a trace. Braving midnight streets where murderers roam, Enola must unravel the clues - a leaning ladder, a shifty-eyed sales clerk, political pamphlets - to find the left-handed lady, but in order to save Lady Cecily from a powerful villain, Enola risks revealing more than she should. Will her own lonely heart betray her?

In this second installment of the acclaimed Enola Holmes Mysteries, two-time Edgar Award winner Nancy Springer brings us all the danger and intrigue of Victorian London as she continues the adventures of one of the wittiest and most exciting new heroines in today's literature.]]> 234 Nancy Springer 0399245170 Jayson 4 3.99 2007 The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (Enola Holmes, #2)
author: Nancy Springer
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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date added: 2025/01/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Innocence of Father Brown (Father Brown, #1)]]> 184591 Not long after he published Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton moved from London to Beaconsfield, and met Father O'Connor. O'Connor had a shrewd insight to the darker side of man's nature and a mild appearance to go with it--and together those came together to become Chesterton's unassuming Father Brown. Chesterton loved the character, and the magazines he wrote for loved the stories. The Innocence of Father Brown was the first collection of them, and it's a great lot of fun.]]> 232 G.K. Chesterton 0809592533 Jayson 5 3.85 1911 The Innocence of Father Brown (Father Brown, #1)
author: G.K. Chesterton
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1911
rating: 5
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]]> The Cricket on the Hearth 549938
The title creature is a sort of barometer of life at the home of John Peerybingle and his much younger wife Dot. When things go well, the cricket on the hearth chirps; it is silent when there is sorrow. Tackleton, a jealous old man, poisons John's mind about Dot, but the cricket through its supernatural powers restores John's confidence and all ends happily.]]> 82 Charles Dickens 0809500418 Jayson 4 3.48 1845 The Cricket on the Hearth
author: Charles Dickens
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.48
book published: 1845
rating: 4
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date added: 2024/12/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories]]> 26069503 BOOKS 352 Enid Blyton 1444922572 Jayson 5 4.23 Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories
author: Enid Blyton
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 5
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date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> <![CDATA[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer]]> 1215290 When the sun starts setting sooner and frost begins to gather on your windows, sit down with a loved one to relive this timeless story of a slightly unusual winter creature with a very special talent.

Although the other reindeer may laugh at him because of his bright red nose, Rudolph proves his worth when he is chosen to lead Santa Claus's sleigh on a foggy night.

Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May, and published by Montgomery Ward, the Chicago, Illinois (USA), department store. In its first year of publication, Montgomery Ward distributed 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story. The now familiar tale of Rudolph, a young reindeer with a glowing, red nose, and how he came to Santa's rescue one foggy Christmas Eve, has become a Christmas classic.]]> 24 Barbara Shook Hazen 0307020711 Jayson 5 4.33 1939 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
author: Barbara Shook Hazen
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1939
rating: 5
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]]> Astra (No Ordinary Star, #1) 26250369 A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive.
A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack.
The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty.
The year is 2525.

Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace.

This is the story of Astra and how she will change the world, one book at a time.]]> 169 M.C. Frank Jayson 4 3.96 2015 Astra (No Ordinary Star, #1)
author: M.C. Frank
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2015
rating: 4
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date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> The Lump of Coal 2850394
Is there a more charming holiday tale to behold? Probably, but Lemony Snicket has not written one.]]> 40 Lemony Snicket 0061574287 Jayson 5 4.01 2008 The Lump of Coal
author: Lemony Snicket
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2008
rating: 5
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date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> The Boy Who Cried Christmas 55988807 229 Dennis Bailey Jayson 4 4.56 2020 The Boy Who Cried Christmas
author: Dennis Bailey
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2020
rating: 4
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date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> <![CDATA[The Best Christmas Present in the World]]> 1141102 48 Michael Morpurgo 1405215186 Jayson 3 4.31 2004 The Best Christmas Present in the World
author: Michael Morpurgo
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2004
rating: 3
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date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> Henry the Queen’s Corgi 35429672 The heart-warming story of one little dog’s big adventure, and the lives he changes along the way.

When their dog goes missing during a day trip to London, the Walker family are forced to accept that they may never see Henry again. But as the family search for their beloved pet, the reality of what has happened to Henry never even crosses their minds: Henry has been mistaken for one of the Queen’s prized corgis.

Swept into Buckingham Palace, Henry is about to discover how the other half of the dog world lives. Henry’s life with the Walkers is a long way from the world of china dog bowls of the corgi room.

But Henry isn’t such an average dog either – and as he explores the palace, getting under the feet of royals and staff alike, this naughty dog will change the residents of Buckingham Palace’s lives in ways they could never have imagined …

Heart-warming and irresistibly funny, HENRY: THE QUEEN’S CORGI is the perfect read for fans of A STREET CAT NAMED BOB and A PUG LIKE PERCY.

]]> 320 Georgie Crawley 0008263132 Jayson 3 4.19 2017 Henry the Queen’s Corgi
author: Georgie Crawley
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2017
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Kit's Surprise: A Christmas Story (American Girls: Kit, #3)]]> 1126942 73 Valerie Tripp 1584850205 Jayson 5 4.05 2000 Kit's Surprise: A Christmas Story (American Girls: Kit, #3)
author: Valerie Tripp
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2000
rating: 5
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]]> The Paper Bag Christmas 4416180 160 Kevin Alan Milne 1599950731 Jayson 4 4.32 2006 The Paper Bag Christmas
author: Kevin Alan Milne
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2006
rating: 4
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]]> The Knights Before Christmas 23310695
'Twas December 24th, and three brave knights were just settling in for the night when out on the drawbridge, there arose such a clatter! The knights try everything to get rid of this unknown invader (Santa Claus!), a red and white knight with a fleet of dragons . . .

But nothing would stop
their white-whiskered foe.
No matter their efforts,
he just would not go!

This parody of Clement Clarke Moore's well-known poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is kid-friendly, clever, and just plain silly―sure to become a holiday classic of a different kind.

A Christy Ottaviano Book]]> 32 Joan Holub 0805099328 Jayson 5 4.00 2015 The Knights Before Christmas
author: Joan Holub
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2015
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas (Austin Family Chronicles, #0.5)]]> 679499 48 Madeleine L'Engle 0877888434 Jayson 5 3.94 1984 The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas (Austin Family Chronicles, #0.5)
author: Madeleine L'Engle
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1984
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Christmas In The Country: Children's interesting picture books]]> 55205798 8 Cynthia Rylant Jayson 4 4.16 2002 Christmas In The Country: Children's interesting picture books
author: Cynthia Rylant
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2002
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[How the Grinch Stole Christmas!]]> 113946 "The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason."

Dr. Seuss's small-hearted Grinch ranks right up there with Scrooge when it comes to the crankiest, scowling holiday grumps of all time.

For 53 years, the Grinch has lived in a cave on the side of a mountain, looming above the Whos in Whoville. The noisy holiday preparations and infernal singing of the happy little citizens below annoy him to no end. The Grinch decides this frivolous merriment must stop. His "wonderful, awful" idea is to don a Santa outfit, strap heavy antlers on his poor, quivering dog Max, construct a makeshift sleigh, head down to Whoville, and strip the chafingly cheerful Whos of their Yuletide glee once and for all.

Looking quite out of place and very disturbing in his makeshift Santa get-up, the Grinch slithers down chimneys with empty bags and stealing the Whos' presents, their food, even the logs from their humble Who-fires. He takes the ramshackle sleigh to Mt. Crumpit to dump it and waits to hear the sobs of the Whos when they wake up and discover the trappings of Christmas have disappeared. Imagine the Whos' dismay when they discover the evil-doings of Grinch in his anti-Santa guise. But what is that sound? It's not sobbing, but singing! Children simultaneously adore and fear this triumphant, twisted Seussian testimonial to the undaunted cheerfulness of the Whos, the transcendent nature of joy, and of course, the growth potential of a heart that's two sizes too small.

This holiday classic is perfect for reading aloud to your favorite little Whos.]]> 64 Dr. Seuss 0007173040 Jayson 4 4.38 1957 How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
author: Dr. Seuss
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1957
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, #7)]]> 2395757
But a strange thing happens. Trivial is what Sherlock Holmes calls it. He's studying an old hat when Dr. Watson visits to wish him "The compliments of the season." Holmes tells Watson about Commissionaire Peterson's report of seeing a little knot of roughs assault a man carrying a Christmas goose home for the family. They all ran, leaving both the goose and the hat. No one could locate the man, Henry Baker, whose name was tagged to the goose so Peterson took possession.

Soon another strange thing - Mrs. Peterson found Morcar's fabulous blue jewel inside the goose while preparing it for their family festivities.

Can S.H. sort this all out?]]> 72 Arthur Conan Doyle 8124200238 Jayson 5 3.83 1892 The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, #7)
author: Arthur Conan Doyle
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1892
rating: 5
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]]> The Christmas Hirelings 43190536 Listeners who smile ironically at the antiquated juxtaposition of The Christmas Hirelings might be surprised by the contemporary feel of a blended family, income inequality, and the power of togetherness to heal past sorrows. Richard Armitage’s stellar voice makes each scene as rich as a plum pudding dotted with the raisins of tradition (party favors, carols, and more!), and the entire performance feels like a trip to bygone England…just in time for the end of this year.Ěý]]> 4 Mary Elizabeth Braddon Jayson 4 3.75 1894 The Christmas Hirelings
author: Mary Elizabeth Braddon
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1894
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Christmas in Camelot (Merlin Missions, #1)]]> 262436
Book Hardcover Publication 10/23/2001 116 Reading Age 6 and Up ]]> 116 Mary Pope Osborne 037581373X Jayson 5 4.05 2001 Christmas in Camelot (Merlin Missions, #1)
author: Mary Pope Osborne
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2001
rating: 5
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]]> White Christmas Pie 3358599 300 Wanda E. Brunstetter 1597899372 Jayson 5 4.13 2008 White Christmas Pie
author: Wanda E. Brunstetter
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2008
rating: 5
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]]> Resting Scrooge Face 63077284 From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a festive short romance about old flames and mistaken identities.

After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood.

To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Nola writes back to her new pen pal—who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops—and quickly turns flirtatious.

Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, they can’t deny the simmering attraction that brought them together in the first place.

Can these nameless pen pals write their own love story—or will they be too caught up with the ghosts of their Christmases past to find a future together?]]> 80 Meghan Quinn 166251042X Jayson 5 3.60 2022 Resting Scrooge Face
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2022
rating: 5
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]]> The Cat of Yule Cottage 32784529
Jess moves into Enysyule, a centuries-old cottage in Cornwall, and begins the process of renovating the rundown house by day and finishing her novel by night, planning to have both finished in time for the holidays. She's got good company: a beautiful, arrogant tomcat stalks around like he owns the place, and seems very skeptical of Jess' tenancy.

But there's magic in the air... Local legends tell of a spirit that inhabits the area, and an ancient standing stone that keeps watch over the valley. As Christmas comes closer and closer, Jess uncovers treasures from Enysyule's past, and becomes involved in a fight for its future.

For Jess has stumbled into a story that's been going on for five hundred years. A story about land, love, friendship, the Yuletide... and one remarkable cat.]]> 208 Lili Hayward 1473648335 Jayson 5 4.03 2016 The Cat of Yule Cottage
author: Lili Hayward
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2016
rating: 5
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]]> Christmasaurus 29472301 384 Tom Fletcher 0141373326 Jayson 5 4.36 2016 Christmasaurus
author: Tom Fletcher
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2016
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Adventure of the Cardboard Box - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story]]> 956109
Inspector Lestrade attended and soon wrote Sherlock Holmes that, "I think this case is very much in your line." Holme's response? "Ring for our boots [Watson] and tell them to order a cab."

Librarian's note: [from Kessinger Publishing] this scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.]]> 21 Arthur Conan Doyle 1419151312 Jayson 5 3.75 1893 The Adventure of the Cardboard Box - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story
author: Arthur Conan Doyle
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1893
rating: 5
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]]> Christmas: A Candid History 5962561
DID YOU KNOW

For three centuries Christians did not celebrate Christmas?

Puritans in England and New England made Christmas observances illegal?

St. Nicholas is an elf in the famous poem "The Night Before Christmas"?

President Franklin Roosevelt changed the dateof Thanksgiving in order to lengthen the Christmas shopping season?

Coca-Cola helped fashion Santa Claus's look in an advertising campaign?]]> 196 Bruce David Forbes 0520258029 Jayson 4 4.16 2007 Christmas: A Candid History
author: Bruce David Forbes
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> The Little Match Girl 342994 32 Hans Christian Andersen 0439643635 Jayson 4 4.10 1845 The Little Match Girl
author: Hans Christian Andersen
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1845
rating: 4
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]]> Eloise at Christmastime 276945 Here she is at Christmastime
Complete with tinsel and holly
Singing fa la la la lolly
And over the roar of the jingle bells
You can hear hear hear her say
It's absolutely Christmas
But I don't mind a bit
I give everyone a present
For that's the thing of it
So when it's everly Christmastime
And you're under your Christmas trees
Simply tinkle a bell and have a trinkle
And remember
Me
Eloise]]> 56 Kay Thompson 0689830394 Jayson 5 4.17 1958 Eloise at Christmastime
author: Kay Thompson
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1958
rating: 5
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]]> Baboushka and the Three Kings 1418767 32 Ruth Robbins 0395426472 Jayson 4 3.69 1960 Baboushka and the Three Kings
author: Ruth Robbins
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.69
book published: 1960
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries]]> 17288609
“Anyone who cares about the best mystery writing of the past century and beyond would be lucky to receive this thick volume during the holidays." — The Washington Post

This collection touches on all aspects of the holiday season, and all types of mysteries. They are suspenseful, funny, frightening, and poignant.

Included are puzzles by Mary Higgins Clark, Isaac Asimov, and Ngaio Marsh; uncanny tales in the tradition of A Christmas Carol by Peter Lovesey and Max Allan Collins; O. Henry-likeĚýstories by Stanley Ellin and Joseph Shearing, stories by pulp icons John D. MacDonald and Damon Runyon; comic gems from Donald E. Westlake and John Mortimer; and many, many more. Almost any kind of mystery you’re in the mood for--suspense, pure detection, humor, cozy, private eye, or police procedural—can be found in these pages.
Ěý

• Unscrupulous Santas
• Crimes of Christmases Past and Present
• Festive felonies
• Deadly puddings
• Misdemeanors under the mistletoe
• Christmas cases for classic characters including Sherlock Holmes, Brother Cadfael, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse, Inspector Ghote, A.J. Raffles, and Nero Wolfe.]]> 654 Otto Penzler 0345802985 Jayson 5 3.94 2013 The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries
author: Otto Penzler
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2013
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus]]> 1554931 The New York Sun asking whether Santa Claus truly existed. The paper's response, written by reporter Francis P. Church, has become a beloved holiday literary tradition. An original approach to a children's classic, this captivating book creatively reinterprets that heartwarming letter about the truth behind Santa Claus and Christmas. It is accompanied by charming Victorian artwork. Joel Spector is an artist and illustrator known for his elegant pastel images. His work appears regularly in magazines and newspapers including Business Week, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, and The New York Times.]]> 32 Francis Pharcellus Church 0762411201 Jayson 4 4.29 1897 Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
author: Francis Pharcellus Church
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1897
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[An Affair Before Christmas (Desperate Duchesses, #2)]]> 896595
One spectacular Christmas, Lady Perdita Selby, known to her friends and family as Poppy, met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was the perfect match for the innocent, breathtakingly beautiful young Englishwoman, and theirs was the most romantic wedding she had ever seen. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of the ton... but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out.

Unwilling to lose the woman he still lusts after, the duke is determined to win back his beguiling bride's delectable affections...and surpass the heady days of first love with a truly sinful seduction.]]> 400 Eloisa James 0061245542 Jayson 4 3.55 2007 An Affair Before Christmas (Desperate Duchesses, #2)
author: Eloisa James
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller]]> 57190765 The story that captivated the country about a little owl who was found in the world’s most famous Christmas tree.
Ěý
When Little Owl’s home is cut down by people saying it will make a beautiful Christmas tree, she’s not sure she wants anything to do with Christmas, whatever that means. But then she is saved by a woman named Ellen, whose house is merrily decorated for the holiday, and filled with birds who need someone to care for them. Surrounded by kindness and helpful new friends, Little Owl begins to wonder if Christmas might not be such a bad thing after all….
Ěý
Co-written by Ellen Kalish, caretaker of the real owl found inside the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, The Christmas Owl is a charming story of friendship, compassion, and the true meaning of this special time of year.]]> 40 Gideon Sterer 031629912X Jayson 5 4.24 2021 The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller
author: Gideon Sterer
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Karen's Christmas Carol (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, #104)]]> 558407 112 Ann M. Martin 0590500562 Jayson 5 4.12 1998 Karen's Christmas Carol (Baby-Sitters Little Sister, #104)
author: Ann M. Martin
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1998
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[A Christmas Homecoming (Christmas Stories, #9)]]> 16700472
In A Christmas Homecoming, a familiar face from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels—Charlotte’s mother, Caroline—travels with her young husband, Joshua Fielding, and his theatrical troupe to Whitby, the Yorkshire fishing village where Dracula the vampire first touched English soil in the sensational novel named after him. Joshua has arranged to produce a stage adaptation of Dracula by the daughter of Whitby millionaire Charles Netheridge during the Christmas holiday, but after the disastrous first read-through of her amateurish script, only the fact that the company is depending on Netheridge’s financial backing for their spring tour keeps them at work.Ěý

As tempers flare and wind and snow swirl around Netheridge’s lonely hilltop mansion, a black-cloaked stranger emerges from the storm—an eerily opportune arrival, for this enigmatic figure, one Anton Ballin, turns out to be a theatrical genius. At the same time, a brooding evil makes itself felt. Instead of the theatrical triumph that Netheridge desired for his daughter, there is murder—shocking and terrifying.

Anne Perry’s ninth Christmas novel keeps us poised on a razor’s edge of suspense, hypnotized by a story in which the heartwarming power of goodness is challenged by the seductive power of inner darkness. In the end, A Christmas Homecoming lifts the spirit and rejoices the heart.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 176 Anne Perry 0755376943 Jayson 5 4.13 2011 A Christmas Homecoming (Christmas Stories, #9)
author: Anne Perry
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2011
rating: 5
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]]> Where Snow Angels Go 55565694 Have you ever woken up suddenly, in the middle of the night, without knowing why? Best-selling and award-winning master storyteller Maggie O'Farrell weaves an extraordinary and compelling modern fairy tale about the bravery of a little girl and the miracle of a snowy day.

Sylvie wakes one night, suddenly, without knowing why. Then she sees the most spectacular sight – a pair of wings, enormous in size, made of the softest snow-white feathers imaginable. An angel in her bedroom … a SNOW angel! He tells her that he is here to look after her, for Sylvie is not as well as she seems... Many months later, as Sylvie recovers from her illness, she longs to see her snow angel again. He saved her life! There is so much she wants to tell him, so much she wants to know! Will he ever come back to her? And how can Sylvie make sure that everyone she loves has their own snow angel, to keep them safe, too?]]> 72 Maggie O'Farrell 1406391999 Jayson 5 4.25 2020 Where Snow Angels Go
author: Maggie O'Farrell
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2020
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[A Lowcountry Christmas (Lowcountry Summer, #5)]]> 29430744
As far as ten-year-old Miller McClellan is concerned, it’s the worst Christmas ever. His father’s shrimp boat is docked, his mother is working two jobs, and with finances strained, Miller is told they can’t afford the dog he desperately wants. “Your brother’s return from war is our family’s gift,” his parents tell him. But when Taylor returns with PTSD, family strains darken the holidays.

Then Taylor’s service dog arrives—a large black Labrador/Great Dane named Thor. His brother even got the dog! When Miller goes out on Christmas Eve with his father’s axe, determined to get his family the tree they can't afford, he takes the dog for company—but accidentally winds up lost in the wild forest. The splintered family must come together to rediscover their strengths, family bond, and the true meaning of Christmas.]]> 384 Mary Alice Monroe 1501125532 Jayson 3 4.06 2016 A Lowcountry Christmas (Lowcountry Summer, #5)
author: Mary Alice Monroe
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2016
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Santa's Twin (Santa's Twin, #1)]]> 268565 A contemporary Christmas classic for children
of all ages -- including those who pretend to have grown up!

Charlotte and Emily are determined to save Santa from his mischievous twin -- Bob Claus -- who has not only stolen Santa's sleigh and stuffed his toy bag full of mud pies, cat poop, and broccoli, but has also threatened to turn Donner, Blitzen, and the others into reindeer soup!

How the brave but foolhardy sisters fly to the North Pole and rescue Santa from his "deeply troubled" twin is an utterly charming and unforgettable story sure to add sparkle to your holiday season.

Read it aloud, preferably to someone you love to hear laugh!

This perennial yuletide favorite was written by bestselling novelist Dean Koontz in 1996 at the request of his fans and has been pleasing readers every holiday season since. Winner of an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition while he was just a senior in college, Koontz today is a world-famous author whose books have been published in thirty-eight different languages and have sold more than three hundred million copies.

Lavishly illustrated with spectacular paintings by Phil Parks, this thoroughly modern masterpiece breathes new life and warmth into the world's most beloved legend.]]> 64 Dean Koontz 006057223X Jayson 5 4.00 1995 Santa's Twin (Santa's Twin, #1)
author: Dean Koontz
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1995
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly: And Other Misheard Christmas Lyrics]]> 1156178 144 Gavin Edwards 0060952938 Jayson 5 4.08 1998 Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly: And Other Misheard Christmas Lyrics
author: Gavin Edwards
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1998
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Cat on the Dovrefell: A Christmas Tale]]> 917995 32 Tomie dePaola 039920685X Jayson 3 3.88 1979 The Cat on the Dovrefell: A Christmas Tale
author: Tomie dePaola
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1979
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[A Simple Christmas on the Farm (Countryside Holidays, 2)]]> 56822990
Warm and heartfelt, this story invites children and families to imagine an inclusive Christmas, focusing on the simple pleasures of connection, community, and the care and generosity shared by making things by hand. Step-by-step directions for creating three handmade Christmas gifts are included at the end of the book. A Simple Christmas on the Farm is an inspired companion to author Phyllis Alsdurf's bestselling Thanksgiving in the Woods, a picture book based on the real-life story of a family that celebrates Christmas in the woods in Upstate New York.]]> 40 Phyllis Alsdurf 1506471366 Jayson 5 4.07 2021 A Simple Christmas on the Farm (Countryside Holidays, 2)
author: Phyllis Alsdurf
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 5
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]]> Nutcracker 774449 Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years. It has retained its freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.

Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Christmas production of Nutcracker and has created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book. He has joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.

The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures. Maurice Sendak's art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann's story in this rich and tantalizing treasure.]]> 102 E.T.A. Hoffmann 051755285X Jayson 5 4.09 1816 Nutcracker
author: E.T.A. Hoffmann
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1816
rating: 5
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]]> The Night Before Christmas 28150849 28 Rose Collins Jayson 4 4.25 The Night Before Christmas
author: Rose Collins
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 4
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]]> The Christmas Crocodile 1591450 40 Bonny Becker 0689815034 Jayson 4 3.98 1998 The Christmas Crocodile
author: Bonny Becker
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1998
rating: 4
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]]> The Light of Christmas 232267 he is chosen to light the Christmas flame. Alexander learns that it isn't what you have to give, but how you give of yourself that matters most.
Master storyteller Richard Paul Evans weaves a heartwarming tale of the true meaning of Christmas spirit.]]> 32 Richard Paul Evans 0689834683 Jayson 4 4.38 2002 The Light of Christmas
author: Richard Paul Evans
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2002
rating: 4
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]]> Auntie Claus 326191 40 Elise Primavera 015201909X Jayson 3 4.13 1999 Auntie Claus
author: Elise Primavera
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1999
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The Autobiography of Santa Claus (The Christmas Chronicles #1)]]> 255303 The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A few months later, he received a call from a gentleman who told him that he showed the story to an important friend who didn't think much of it. And who might that be? asked Jeff. The next thing he knew, he was whisked off to the North Pole to meet with this "very important friend," and the rest is, well, as they say, history.

An enchanting holiday treasure, The Autobiography of Santa Claus combines solid historical fact with legend to deliver the definitive story of Santa Claus. And who better to lead us through seventeen centuries of Christmas magic than good ol' Saint Nick himself? Families will delight in each chapter of this new Christmas classic-one per each cold December night leading up to Christmas!]]> 289 Jeff Guinn 158542448X Jayson 5 3.67 1994 The Autobiography of Santa Claus (The Christmas Chronicles #1)
author: Jeff Guinn
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1994
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Life of Our Lord: Written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849]]> 27873840 The Life of Our Lord around the same time he was finishing up David Copperfield, but to readers raised on a diet of Dickensian wit and indignation, his rendering of Jesus' life may come as something of a surprise.

This Workman Family Classic edition contains:

• Background/Introduction
• Biography
• Footnotes
• a scriptural passage and discussion question after each day’s reading
• Extension activities

Written by Charles Dickens for his Children

This story of the life of Christ is perfect for families to read together, and has been specially formatted into 24 short readings suitable for reading during December.
Sit back and listen to the master storyteller Charles Dickens share the life of our Lord with his children.]]> 63 Charles Dickens Jayson 4 4.32 1934 The Life of Our Lord: Written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849
author: Charles Dickens
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1934
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Christmas Bookshop (The Christmas Bookshop, #1)]]> 56922701
Sofia har Ìrlig talt heller ikke lyst til at byde Carmen velkommen. Hendes søster har altid vÌret sarkastisk og umedgørlig. Men Sofia venter sig igen, boghandlen mangler hÌnder, og deres mors største ønske er, at de to søstre kommer bedre ud af det med hinanden. Müske skulle hun give Carmen en chance?

PĂĽ Sofias foranledning hvirvles Carmen snart ind i den gamle boghandels daglige trummerum. Det viser sig dog, at det vil krĂŚve et sandt julemirakel at fĂĽ den pĂĽ rette kurs igen. Kan Carmen mon overraske dem alle denne jul? Og kan hun klinke skĂĽrene med de vigtigste mennesker i hendes liv: sin familie?]]> 310 Jenny Colgan 0063141671 Jayson 4 3.61 2021 The Christmas Bookshop (The Christmas Bookshop, #1)
author: Jenny Colgan
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2021
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas, #1)]]> 45551061
Noelle Pratchett is immune to charming rakehells like the arrogant duke. He stole her heart, stole her first kiss, and then stole away one night never to return. Now he's back—and so are all the old feelings. Noelle knows he won't stay. But how can she maintain her icy shields when every heated glance melts her to her core?]]> 212 Erica Ridley Jayson 3 3.69 2018 Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas, #1)
author: Erica Ridley
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 3
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]]> Miracle on the 17th Green 7646264 198 James Patterson 031609210X Jayson 5 3.77 1996 Miracle on the 17th Green
author: James Patterson
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.77
book published: 1996
rating: 5
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]]> A Christmas Beginning 810118
Superintendent Runcorn of Scotland Yard is spending Christmas on the wild and beautiful island of Anglesey off the north coast of Wales. On one of his solitary strolls, the lonely bachelor stumbles upon a lifeless body in the village churchyard. The unfortunate victim is quickly identified as Olivia Costain, the local vicar’s younger sister.

In life, Olivia had been a free spirit, full of charm and grace. For Runcorn, she is a haunting reminder of Melisande Ewart, the one woman he’s never been able to forget. Everyone on Anglesey is quick to insist that only a stranger to the island could have committed the heinous crime. But the evidence proves otherwise, and the unpopular work of discovering who among Olivia’s friends and neighbors–and numerous eligible suitors–is a ruthless killer falls to Runcorn. A plebian outsider in the drawing rooms of the snobbish local gentry, Runcorn never dreams that the key that will unlock the secrets of Olivia’s life and death may also, miraculously, open the door to a new future for himself.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 190 Anne Perry 0345485823 Jayson 4 3.59 2007 A Christmas Beginning
author: Anne Perry
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury]]> 2988
The quiet little woman --
A hospital Christmas --
What Polly found in her stocking --
Rosa's tale --
Mrs. Podgers' teapot --
Peace from heaven --
A country Christmas --
Gwen's adventure in the snow --
A Christmas dream, and how it came true --
A song --
A merry Christmas (Little women) --
What love can do --
Tessa's surprises --
A Christmas turkey --
Becky's Christmas dream --
Kate's choice --
Bertie's box --
A new way to spend Christmas --
Tilly's Christmas --
The virutes of Louisa May Alcott's characters]]> 290 Louisa May Alcott 1589199502 Jayson 3 4.02 2002 Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury
author: Louisa May Alcott
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2002
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil]]> 27225579
Holly and ivy decorate the houses while voices are raised in song, but the Christmas cheer is tempered by terror this festive season, as demons haunt a small English village.

Strange thefts; cloven hoof-prints in the snow; a house burned to the ground.
Something evil stalks the icy streets of Brandesburton and former mercenary Tuck must find out what, before it's too late.

As he sets out to solve the mystery the friar prays his faith will protect him. His faith AND his great quarterstaff, for he knows full well – the Devil makes no deals...

This brand new novella from the best-selling author of the Forest Lord series will delight and entertain historical fiction fans looking to escape the madness of Christmas shopping for a little while. Grab a mince pie, warm some mulled wine, and join Friar Tuck on this snowy adventure!

"...a heart warming tale, wrapping the deep meaning of Christmas in amongst
a clever little mystery...” Parmenion Book Reviews

Includes a foreword by Phil Rose, the legendary Friar Tuck from TV's Robin of Sherwood.]]> 102 Steven A. McKay Jayson 3 4.25 2015 Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil
author: Steven A. McKay
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2015
rating: 3
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]]> Off-Duty Christmas 23532825
That’s before Bryce, the handsome new Texas Game Warden comes to town vowing to change everything. Will he succeed in rocking her world, or will she also push him away?]]> 78 Tammy Tate Jayson 5 3.96 2014 Off-Duty Christmas
author: Tammy Tate
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2014
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[He Sees You When You're Sleeping]]> 487329
It is a few days before Christmas. For forty-six years Sterling has been awaiting his summons into Heaven. Will he be deemed fit for entrance into heaven this year? At last the day comes and the Heavenly Council settles on a test for Sterling - he will be sent back to earth and given an opportunity to prove his worthiness by helping someone else. Sterling Brooks finds himself in Manhattan, at the skating rink in Rockefeller Center. Among the skaters is a heartbroken seven-year-old named Marissa. Her sadness comes from her separation from the father she adores, a talented singer, and her sparkling grandmother, owner of a popular restaurant. Both have been forced into the Witness Protection Program because two mobsters, the Badgett brothers, have put a price on their heads to prevent their testifying against them in an arson case. As Sterling soon realizes, it is Marissa he has been sent to help. Sterling, who is able to move back and forth in time and place, masterminds a plan to eliminate the threat from the Badgett brothers and reunite Marissa with her loved ones. Filled with suspense and humour, HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING is a delightful and warmhearted tale of perseverance, redemption, and love.]]> 208 Mary Higgins Clark 0743440994 Jayson 4 3.84 2004 He Sees You When You're Sleeping
author: Mary Higgins Clark
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2004
rating: 4
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]]> Last Christmas in Paris 34150793
New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.

August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.

But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…

Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?

Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…]]> 368 Hazel Gaynor 0062562681 Jayson 3 4.16 2017 Last Christmas in Paris
author: Hazel Gaynor
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2017
rating: 3
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]]> Red Ranger Came Calling 375166
A moody young boy living with his aunt on an island, "Red" Breathed sees himself as the "Red Ranger from Mars", his hero from the movie serials, and cannot picture life without the gift of a Red Ranger bicycle. Red is far too "swanky a human being" to believe in Santa Claus, but nevertheless he pays a visit to the aged island hermit, Lord Sander Clos, rumored to be the legendary man himself, now living in lonely, joyless retirement. This meeting triggers an emotional response within the self-absorbed Red and leads to the most remarkable bicycle ever delivered on Christmas morning.Ěý]]> 32 Berkeley Breathed 0316102490 Jayson 3 4.39 1994 Red Ranger Came Calling
author: Berkeley Breathed
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1994
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[A Christmas to Remember: Tales of Comfort and Joy (Dear Canada)]]> 6821027 241 Karleen Bradford 0545990033 Jayson 5 4.00 2009 A Christmas to Remember: Tales of Comfort and Joy (Dear Canada)
author: Karleen Bradford
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2009
rating: 5
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]]> The Gift 23488333
Julie Hamilton loves Christmas. It’s her favorite time of year, from the cinnamon smell of freshly baked mince-pies to the excitement of buying gifts for family and friends, decorating the tree, and hanging stockings for Santa Claus on the mantelpiece.
This Christmas promises to be extra special because she’s expecting the perfect gift--her first baby--on Christmas Eve.
However, a chance encounter turns her world upside down, and soon, she’s praying for her very own Christmas miracle.
Can the spirit of the Christmas season and the kindness of strangers find a way to make her wish come true?]]> 76 Joanne Clancy 1503069095 Jayson 5 4.12 2014 The Gift
author: Joanne Clancy
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2014
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Willows at Christmas (Tales of the Willows)]]> 581175 William Horwood 0006510264 Jayson 5 4.15 1999 The Willows at Christmas (Tales of the Willows)
author: William Horwood
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1999
rating: 5
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]]> How the Dukes Stole Christmas 41792723 Christmas magic is in the air... From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up some unforgettable romance...with a little help from some enchanted shortbread.

"Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare
Louisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a wealthy husband at the ball tonight, the horrid, heartless Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their beloved Mayfair home. But when her friend begs to switch dance cards, Louisa finds herself waltzing with the enemy: the horrid, heartless--and unexpectedly handsome--Thorndale himself. Now the duke's holding her future in his hands...and he's not letting go.

"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd, has no time for holidays. Holidays are for whimsy and charm--the only two things his money cannot buy. Lady Jacqueline Mosby is full of both, even now, twelve years after she left to see the world. When Jacqueline returns for a single Christmas, Eben can't resist the woman he never stopped loving...or the future that had once been in reach. It will take a miracle to convince her to stay...but if ever there were a time for miracles, it's Christmas...

"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister's family leaves her behind in the rush to escape an impending snowstorm, she finds herselfĚýstranded in the Highlands, left to fend offĚýbrigands terrorizing the countryside, robbing homes locked up for winter. Her only hope falls on herĚýneighbor,Ěýa surlyĚýhermitĚýduke who unravels her with a look, thenĚýa kiss ... until she fearsĚýthe danger to her heart outweighs the danger ofĚýbrigands and snowstorms.

"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe
Women all over America devour Mrs. Walker's weekly column for recipes and advice. No one knows Rose, the column's author, can't even boil water. When the paper's owner, Duke Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must scramble to find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook. But Duke is not a man easily fooled and she fears her perfect plan is failing--especially when Duke's attentions make her feel anything but professional. To save her career will she give up her chance at love?]]> 477 Tessa Dare 0999192329 Jayson 4 3.70 2018 How the Dukes Stole Christmas
author: Tessa Dare
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2018
rating: 4
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]]> Madeline's Christmas 1287540 32 Ludwig Bemelmans 0670806668 Jayson 4 4.15 1956 Madeline's Christmas
author: Ludwig Bemelmans
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1956
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology]]> 56817033 From four beloved writers—Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley—comes a hilarious tale of a Christmas house party that serves up love and scandal in equal measure!

The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto… not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti.

But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.

Lady Cressida, the duke’s daughter, is too busy managing the entertainments—and besides, her own father has called her dowdy. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, is directing Cinderella and has no interest in marriage. Lady Caroline Whitmore is already (unhappily) married; the fact that she and her estranged husband have to pretend to be together just makes her dread the party all the more.Ěý But not as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother bluntly tells her that this is her last chance to escape the horrors of being an old maid.

A house party so large, that mothers lose track of their charges, leads to a delightful, seductive quartet of stories that you will savor for the Season!



A mistletoe kiss / Eloisa James --
Wishing under the mistletoe / Christi Caldwell --
Compromise under the mistletoe / Janna MacGregor --
Mischief & mistletoe / Erica Ridley

]]> 465 Eloisa James 0063139693 Jayson 5 3.62 2021 Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology
author: Eloisa James
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2021
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Aunt Dimity's Christmas (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #5)]]> 511261
Lori can hardly wait for Christmas this lean times are over, the cottage Aunt Dimity willed her is more beautiful than ever, her nine-month-old twins, Will and Rob, are thriving, and she and husband Bill have never been happier. Determined to make this Christmas the best ever, Lori embarks on a round of shopping, holly-cutting, angel-cookie making, and more. When fat snow flakes begin drifting down outside of the window, Lori feels all her holiday wishes are about to come true. But the next day, beneath the lilac bushes now covered by freshly fallen snow, Lori makes a disturbing the body of a mysterious stranger--a tramp--barely alive.Ěý

While the nearby village of Finch continues with its seasonal preparations, including rehearsals for the Christmas Eve Nativity play, Lori puts her plans on hold and teams up with Julian Bright--a devilishly attractive Roman Catholic priest--to search out the stranger's identity. Their journey takes them from abandoned World War II airfields to homeless shelters, places where the Christmas star shines dimly, if at all. As Lori unveils the tragic secret that led the stranger to her door, she confronts painful truths about herself and discovers the real meaning of a perfect family Christmas.]]> 214 Nancy Atherton 0140296301 Jayson 4 4.00 1999 Aunt Dimity's Christmas (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #5)
author: Nancy Atherton
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1999
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Holiday Princess (The Princess Diaries, #10.1)]]> 93730
Then there's gift giving, the royal Genovian FabergĂŠ advent calendar, hot chocolate with marshmallows--oh, and all those fabulous holiday movies. How will YOU celebrate this holiday season? Mia and her subjects have a few ideas.
]]> 144 Meg Cabot 0060754346 Jayson 4 3.63 2005 Holiday Princess (The Princess Diaries, #10.1)
author: Meg Cabot
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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]]> The Christmas Pearl 7339810 176 Dorothea Benton Frank 0061577731 Jayson 5 4.27 2007 The Christmas Pearl
author: Dorothea Benton Frank
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2007
rating: 5
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]]> The Polar Express 420282 “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.”

Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the harness of the reindeer. The gift is granted. On the way home the bell is lost. On Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the tree. The mother of the boy admires the bell, but laments that it is broken—for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell.

In strange and moving shades of full color art, Chris Van Allsburg creates an otherwordly classic of the Christmas season. 'The Polar Express' evokes the same sense of mystery as his previous imaginative books 'The Garden of Abdul Gasazi' (1979), 'Jumanji' (1981), and 'The Wreck of the Zephyr' (1983).

Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986,Ěý'The Polar Express 'has soldĚýmore than 7 million copies, become a classic holiday movie, andĚýbeen translatedĚýinto stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.]]> 32 Chris Van Allsburg 0395389496 Jayson 4 4.32 1985 The Polar Express
author: Chris Van Allsburg
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1985
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Pushing Brilliance (Kyle Achilles, #1)]]> 30734567 HE DIDN'T DO IT.
He really didn't.
But proving it,
will be a killer.

Framed for murder and on the run, former Olympic biathlete Kyle Achilles is also in the crosshairs of assassins' guns. Why? He has no idea. He's fighting blind against two master strategists and one extraordinary invention--known as Brillyanc.

Achilles' only ally is the other prime suspect, a beautiful Russian mathematician who is either the best or worst person to ever enter his life. Katya was engaged to Achilles' brother -- before he died.

Chasing clues while dodging bullets, Achilles and Katya race around the globe, uncovering a conspiracy conceived in Moscow, born in Silicon Valley, and destined to demolish both the White House and the Kremlin. Along the way a lost soul finds purpose, a broken heart confronts forbidden love, and America gains a new hero.

Packed with heart-stopping surprises, paced by razor-sharp plotting, and populated with richly rendered characters, Pushing Brilliance will leave you breathless and longing for more.]]> 375 Tim Tigner Jayson 0 to-read 4.13 2016 Pushing Brilliance (Kyle Achilles, #1)
author: Tim Tigner
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV)]]> 5883777 The English Standard Version (ESV) Bible is an essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning.

The ESV Bible is equipped with an enhanced navigation feature. Kindle's index feature can be used to navigate directly to any verse. This feature is not supported on the Kindle 1 or any Kindle applications.



This edition includes cross-references within the text.

]]> 1243 Anonymous 1433502976 Jayson 0 to-read 4.54 Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV)
author: Anonymous
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.54
book published:
rating: 0
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]]> Thin Air (Jessica Shaw, #1) 41723459 She investigates missing persons—now she is one.

Private investigator Jessica Shaw is used to getting anonymous tips. But after receiving a photo of a three-year-old kidnapped from Los Angeles twenty-five years ago, Jessica is stunned to recognize the little girl as herself.

Eager for answers, Jessica heads to LA’s dark underbelly. When she learns that her biological mother was killed the night she was abducted, Jessica’s determined to solve a case the police have forgotten. Meanwhile, veteran LAPD detective Jason Pryce is in the midst of a gruesome investigation into a murdered college student moonlighting as a prostitute. A chance encounter leads to them crossing paths, but Jessica soon realizes that Pryce is hiding something about her father’s checkered history and her mother’s death.

To solve her mother’s murder and her own disappearance, Jessica must dig into the past and find the secrets buried there. But the air gets thinner as she crawls closer to the truth, and it’s getting harder and harder to breathe.]]> 288 Lisa Gray 1542093643 Jayson 0 to-read 3.69 2019 Thin Air (Jessica Shaw, #1)
author: Lisa Gray
name: Jayson
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Motive Black: A novel (Motive Black Series Book 1)]]> 216383106 “Motive Black offers a stunning exploration of the protagonist's inner life, a maelstrom of conflicting desires, self-doubt, and existential despair. Yet it is cinematic in style and exceptional in the use of imagery.” —Readers' Favorite

At the bottom of the rabbit hole, there is no light. The steel walls, strung in wire, are as cold as the air, and whoever might find you inside the dark of this massive, enclosed dome is entitled by the ruling Institute to Love you, or be Loved by you, however they desire. Their Safety and Happiness—Google, the watchful AI, will assure you—depends on it, and to deny them this, well, that’s just Hateful.

In this uncompromising and darkly humorous satire on the LGBT, where the infinite spectrum of gender—now known as Color—is fully realized, misgendering anyone results in being dismantled for parts or processed into Safe food. Simon, one of the few Shells to have a Natural, unmodified and still identifiably male body, must navigate this absurdist, transhumanist hellscape. Having been locked out of every unoccupied Safe Space after yet another argument with Google, he is left with no choice but to try and survive whatever might be bumping around every corner of Safe Dome Austin.

What follows in the first of this four-part series— MOTIVE BLACK —is a maelstrom of manipulation by Google, a mysterious Institute researcher named Ana, and the voice of an unseen figure, who only Simon can hear. They each have their own motives, and Simon is at the center of everything. In the fever dream of Simon’s attempt to find freedom, he’ll come closer to the truth of this nightmarish future, a truth as horrific as it is unimaginable.]]> 490 Adam Scott Huerta Jayson 0 to-read 4.34 Motive Black: A novel (Motive Black Series Book 1)
author: Adam Scott Huerta
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.34
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]]> <![CDATA[Quantum Energetics and Spirituality Volume 1: Aligning with Universal Consciousness]]> 58275819 232 Kenneth Schmitt Jayson 0 to-read 4.38 2021 Quantum Energetics and Spirituality Volume 1: Aligning with Universal Consciousness
author: Kenneth Schmitt
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Arising Son: Part One (The Guardians of the Temple Saga)]]> 58740438 He confronts his mother, Cassandra, on who he really is.
With the shocking information his mother finally reveals, Ryan has to chose his own path; either to the Light or to Dark. And he's beginning to like one more than the other...]]> 143 Marie Montine Jayson 0 to-read 4.29 Arising Son: Part One (The Guardians of the Temple Saga)
author: Marie Montine
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.29
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]]> Inara (Godfrey Davis, #3) 215186841
But the death of a human subsequently gave rise to the question. Would the masses ever trust Artificial Intelligence again?

When Nine and the other androids voted to leave Llar behind, the rioting started shortly after their departure. Where it would lead to was anyone’s guess.
Except for one man, and an ethereal green hologram in the Grand Plaza.

As Godfrey reflected on his excursion into the future, he knew. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. While the old hologram stood and watched the hoards destroying their heritage, the clock was ticking.

Time was running out.]]> 351 A.R. Merrydew Jayson 0 to-read 4.36 2024 Inara (Godfrey Davis, #3)
author: A.R. Merrydew
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> Born Survivors 23287193 The Lost and The Nazi Officer’s Wife, Born Survivors celebrates three mothers who defied death to give their children life.

Eastern Europe, 1944: Three women believe they are pregnant, but are torn from their husbands before they can be certain. Rachel is sent to Auschwitz, unaware that her husband has been shot. Priska and her husband travel there together, but are immediately separated. Also at Auschwitz, Anka hopes in vain to be reunited with her husband. With the rest of their families gassed, these young wives are determined to hold on to all they have left—their lives, and those of their unborn babies. Having concealed their condition from infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, they are forced to work and almost starved to death, living in daily fear of their pregnancies being detected by the SS. In April 1945, as the Allies close in, the inmates are sent to Mauthausen concentration camp on a hellish seventeen-day train journey.

On the seventieth anniversary of Mauthausen’s liberation from the Nazis by American soldiers, renowned biographer Wendy Holden recounts this extraordinary story of three children united by their mothers’ unbelievable—yet ultimately successful—fight for survival.]]> 385 Wendy Holden 0062370251 Jayson 0 to-read 4.00 2015 Born Survivors
author: Wendy Holden
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Sheever's Journal, Diary of a Poison Master]]> 52022378 For five years Me’acca Mysuth Sheever has lived among his “sworn enemies,” pretending to be one of them. One night he buys a journal, its pages blank. The woman who sells him the journal extracts his promise to record his deeds for study. “Lo, the steps of your life mark the journey of your soul.” To expose his prior life, however, would be akin to suicide, for Sheever is a man brimming with secrets.

He begins the journal cautiously, describing the area where he works as a cook, and the people he’s forced to endure. Hints of his past emerge as he also records day-to-day events. As the journal evolves, he finds himself more entangled than he ever wanted to be in the lives around him, and more sympathetic to people he wanted to hate.

Memories haunt him, and he struggles to maintain a grip on his sanity as he prays for – and fears – the signal that his years in exile have ended and he can return home.

This then is Sheever’s Journal, Diary of a Poison Master.

About the Author:
K. Ritz lives with her husband in a small town in Massachusetts. This is her first book in a series about a world of shadows.
]]> 410 K. Ritz 1950015327 Jayson 0 to-read 4.30 2019 Sheever's Journal, Diary of a Poison Master
author: K. Ritz
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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]]> The Martian 18007564
Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

]]> 384 Andy Weir 0804139024 Jayson 0 to-read 4.41 2011 The Martian
author: Andy Weir
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Search for Mother Missing: A Peek Inside International Adoption (Adoption Books for Adults)]]> 35590467
This vacation covers a very short span of only two weeks in ’04 while the twins attend an adoption conference for the first time and learn that other Korean adoptees and parents of loss have valid complaints and curiosities yet to be addressed by the authorities of the day in the field of International adoption.

If you are adopted and didn’t get to attend the 50th anniversary intended to celebrate and contemplate international adoption from Seoul, South Korea, travel vicariously with the Vance twins. If you are not adopted but curious about a few adult adoptee experiences while they try to take lightly very heavy issues, the twins invite you to travel with them on their first trip of a lifetime together through the pages of this book.

Spoiler You might not be able to detect the Vance twins’ bond with each other. But most twins know their bond needs no explanation. It is what it is. After learning that adoption agencies are known for separating twins, the Vance Twins are extremely happy that, at the very least, they were adopted together.

Did you know that hundreds of Korean adoptees are now in the midst of a worldwide investigation into agencies? Visit or for updates on the case.]]> 184 Janine Vance 1548423963 Jayson 0 to-read 4.50 The Search for Mother Missing: A Peek Inside International Adoption (Adoption Books for Adults)
author: Janine Vance
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.50
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]]> The Arbitrator 30760409
Max Nowaz’s science fiction novel, The Arbitrator, follows the story of 153 year-old Jim Brown, a former highly successful administrator who is now rotting in jail, for tax fraud. However, in reality, he is there for taking revenge and killing several people on the planet Levita, after meeting the beautiful Narissa...

In prison, he has acquired a drug habit, which is killing him slowly and his only chance of survival is a very expensive renewal process, which will make him young again and cure his drug habit. After ten years in jail, he is suddenly given a reprieve and offered a chance to redeem himself. He is sent as the ‘Arbitrator’ to ‘Pirrus’ in another solar system, to try and stop a rebellion and bring matters under control. Will he complete the mission successfully to earn enough funds for his regeneration? Only time will tell.
This novel tries to portray realistically, the darker side of colonisation, where a population is ruthlessly exploited in the guise of bringing them civilisation. Brown, a well-oiled cog in such a system prides himself on being ruthlessly efficient in his tyrannical task of keeping the population down, has a change of heart after meeting Gina, a girl he uses as his plaything.
He then slowly embarks on a path of self-emancipation in trying to better the lot of the people under his charge. He is not only up against his own government, the EPA, but also against other forces trying to overthrow him. He also discovers a plot by some external powers trying to invade the planet and is hurled into an epic adventure in a game of survival.
This novel may not be everybody's cup of tea, because of its complex political undertones as it tries to show the insidious underbelly of an autocratic form of colonisation, though it can be enjoyed simply as a great Sci-Fi adventure story.]]> 229 Max Nowaz 1785892134 Jayson 0 to-read 4.25 2016 The Arbitrator
author: Max Nowaz
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2016
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]]> And Then There Were None 16299
"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.]]> 264 Agatha Christie 0312330871 Jayson 0 to-read 4.28 1939 And Then There Were None
author: Agatha Christie
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1939
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Red Grouse Tales (The Little Dog and Other Stories)]]> 53135268
(A Book Excellence Award Finalist and recent Literary Titan Book Award winner)

Told in The Red Grouse Inn, these four award winning, thought provoking, modern day fables, all very different, speculative, spiritual and philosophical, will intrigue and entertain YA, NA and A readers alike. Beautiful and atmospheric imagery, surreal and paranormal concepts of angels, ghosts and devils will have the reader eagerly turning the pages.

The four tales in this volume are:-
The Little Dog - a story of good and evil and retribution.
The Golden Tup - a dreadful tale of paradise being cruelly taken by latent evil.
The Crow - a poignant tale of misunderstanding, dying, bitterness and blame.
The White Hart - a happy ghost story, if there can be such a thing!]]> 343 Leslie Garland Jayson 0 to-read 4.04 The Red Grouse Tales (The Little Dog and Other Stories)
author: Leslie Garland
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.04
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]]> <![CDATA[The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)]]> 7235533 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.]]> 1007 Brandon Sanderson 0765326353 Jayson 0 to-read 4.66 2010 The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
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]]> And the Mountains Echoed 16115612 404 Khaled Hosseini 159463176X Jayson 0 to-read 4.06 2012 And the Mountains Echoed
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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]]> Fate's Pawn 50901964 Magic can’t solve your problems. It just makes them bigger. Too bad 14-year-old Raziel hasn’t learned that yet.



Everyone believes that Raziel’s parents are long dead. Everyone but Raziel. He knows the flying city that took them 9 years ago is real. He is sure that if he can just find it, he can find them too.



Using clues left in a journal his father left behind, Raziel’s first step must be contacting a creature living in an ancient, abandoned fortress just a few miles away. To get to it, Raziel will need to use his developing knowledge of magic to find a way past the high walls and knights that guard his town andthrough the twisting forest paths filled with monsters lurking among the trees.



Answers to questions that have tormented him for years are just within his reach, but suddenly Raziel is not the only one seeking the creature—someone from his town has made a terrible bargain for power, and the price is the creature’s life.



Raziel’s journey to find his family will lead him through a brutal test against a horde of monsters, the demons of his past, and the scorn and disbelief of his community—but he will stop at nothing to discover the truth.



Rick Fox’s debut novel Fate’s Pawn is a fast paced ride through a world full of strange creatures, magic that will set your imagination ablaze, and characters that will instantly become your friends; an exciting read that will delight fantasy lovers of all ages.



Praise for Fate’s

“This book was an incredibly fun read with characters I really cared for. I'm all about characters. If I don't care for the characters, I rarely care about the story. So it was great to get lost in an adventure with characters who felt like friends.”

Lindsey Ann, ŔĎť˘ťúÎČÓŽˇ˝ˇ¨ reviewer





“A strong beginning to a new series! The world is multi-textured and rich. The characters reveal more depth than your typical fantasy novel. And the author answers just enough questions to whet your appetite for the ones he leaves open.”

Wade Jones, Amazon reviewer]]> 365 Rick Fox Jayson 0 to-read 4.25 Fate's Pawn
author: Rick Fox
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.25
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]]> Westwind Secrets 57251466 405 Marilyn Dalla Valle Jayson 0 to-read 4.29 Westwind Secrets
author: Marilyn Dalla Valle
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.29
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]]> Brainwalker 30346601
Fourteen-year-old Bernard thinks outside the box. The only problem is that neither his school nor his ultra-rational physicist father appreciate his unique ideas. When he reacts to a stressful situation at school by mooning the class, his suspension sends him straight to his father’s workplace. After his frustrated father leaves him unattended, Bernard does what any teen would wander into the particle accelerator and accidentally get transported through a wormhole!

It doesn’t take long for Bernard to realize he’s in deep trouble. Not only did the wormhole drop him in the middle of a civil war over a depleted resource, but the battle is actually taking place inside his father’s brain. Bernard has one chance to save the dying side of his father’s creative brain from the tyrannical left side. Can he use his outside-the-box thinking to save his father’s life?

Brainwalker is a young adult sci-fi fantasy novel that turns the world of neuroscience on its head. If you like incredible fantasy worlds, fast-paced entertainment, and the human mind, then you’ll love Robyn Mundell and Stephan Lacast’s amazing journey inside the brain.

Buy Brainwalker to help the mind survive today!]]> 260 Robyn Mundell 0997652500 Jayson 0 to-read 4.31 2016 Brainwalker
author: Robyn Mundell
name: Jayson
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/11/05
shelves: to-read
review:

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